Charles "Shep" E. Sutton

He was born in Charleston, WV, on February 23, 1924 and was the son of the late Harry Burdette and Roxalena Pauley Sutton.

Shep graduated from Elkview High School in 1942. He served in the Naval Air Force as a radioman/gunner Combat Air Crewman during WWII. He graduated from Capital Radio Engineering Institute in Washington, DC, after the war. He worked in the US State Dept. Foreign Service partly as a Foreign Service Staff Officer in Hong Kong, Manila, and Central and South America. In 1964, he began employment at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, WV, as a Technical Specialist in Radio Astronomy where he retired. Mr. Sutton was the chairman of the Pocahontas County library board for four years and was the founder of the Rockingham Senior Players of Broadway. In 2012 his memoir “They Call Me Shep” was published. He was also a lifetime member of the Harrisonburg VFW Post #632.

On September 1, 1949, he married his loving wife, Martha Bias Sutton, who survives. Also surviving is a son, Greggory T. Sutton of Reedsville, WV; a sister Mary Reynolds of Newport, VA; a brother, John Sutton of London, KY; three grandchildren, Casey, Emily and Jason; one great-grandson, Karson; and numerous nieces and nephews

A memorial service will be held 3:00 pm, Saturday, January 19, 2013, at Detwiler Auditorium at VMRC. Private interment will be in Southwest Virginia Veteran’s Cemetery in Dublin, VA.

Memorial contributions may be sent to Harrisonburg Rescue Squad, P. O. Box 1477, Harrisonburg, VA 22803.

Lindsey Funeral Homes and Crematory is handling arrangements and online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.lindseyharrisonburg.com.